Chapter 2: An Unexpected Encounter

A modest apartment stood sturdy in a corner of the capital city, a place Darren had chosen as his temporary residence.

It had been over a week since he returned to his homeland from the country where he completed his doctoral studies. Something held him back from returning to the house he grew up in. Memories of an incident haunted him as a tragedy when he was just eleven years old. Darren had lost his older sister in a fatal accident when she fell from the third floor of their home. Everyone blamed Darren, though he believed it was his mother's carelessness.

The ringtone of a phone call interrupted his thoughts. He glanced at the screen without answering, noting the caller's name: "Mother." Two calls went unanswered before another notification caught his attention.

"Son, are you back in the country? Mr. Baron mentioned that you’re already leading the company, even though you haven’t come to the office. If you’re back, you should come home. Your father often asks about you."

He read the message carefully, his expression shifting briefly to sadness before returning to its usual stoic look. While he was genuinely concerned about his father’s condition, Darren hardened his heart against visiting the house.

At six o'clock sharp, Darren left the apartment on his old motorcycle, heading to the office. Unlike usual, his mind wandered during the ride, preoccupied with his mother's message.

Lost in thought, Darren failed to notice a young woman crossing the road ahead of him until it was too late.

Bam!

Darren's motorcycle collided with the woman, causing her to fall onto the street. Her bag fell, scattering its contents.

"Oh, I’m so sorry!" Darren crouched down immediately, his face full of regret. "I didn’t see you."

The woman, though startled, managed a smile despite her apparent annoyance. "It’s okay, I’m fine," she said, brushing off the dust from her clothes.

Darren quickly offered his hand to help her up. "I’m truly sorry. Are you hurt?"

She shook her head. "No, really. Just a bit dirty."

Noticing her disheveled and dirtied clothes, Darren felt even guiltier. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his wallet, took out some cash, and handed it to her. "Here, please take this to replace your clothes. I insist."

At first, the woman refused. "I’m really fine. It’s no big deal," she said politely, shaking her head with a small smile. But Darren persisted, his eyes full of remorse.

"At least use it to clean or replace your clothes. I won’t feel right otherwise."

Finally, she relented, albeit hesitantly. "Alright then. Thank you," she said softly.

Relieved, Darren smiled and was about to leave when a sudden question popped into his mind. "By the way, where were you headed? You seem to have some important things with you." He had noticed her anxious expression as she checked her belongings.

The woman looked down shyly before answering, "Actually, I’ve been job hunting. I’ve been going around the city for days, but I haven’t found anything suitable yet."

Darren studied her face for a moment before an idea struck him. "What a coincidence," he said, smiling. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a business card. "The company I work for, Anugerah Langit Corporation, is hiring administrative staff. Perhaps it matches your skills?"

The woman looked surprised as she took the card with both hands, staring at it as if in disbelief.

"Seriously? Thank you! I never thought this accident could turn out to be a blessing," she said, her eyes sparkling with gratitude.

"My name is Darren, and I believe you have a good chance there. Try sending in your application or coming directly to the office tomorrow," Darren said warmly.

"Oh, and before you go, I suggest dressing a bit more formally. I wouldn’t want the company to misjudge a talented candidate just because of appearances."

Keisha, as she introduced herself, smiled shyly but radiated determination. "Thank you so much, Darren. I don’t even know what to say. This means a lot to me. Hopefully, I’ll get accepted."

Darren nodded. "Happy to help. Good luck."

Keisha bowed slightly, still brimming with gratitude. "I’ll do my best to make a good impression. Thank you again."

They parted ways, but Darren could still see her figure walking away, visibly more spirited after their brief encounter. As he continued toward his office, his thoughts returned to his mother's text and the emotions it stirred. But for now, he felt a small relief in having helped someone.

A little later, Darren arrived at the office, where the head of security, Jaya, was waiting for him. His face displayed clear irritation.

"What’s this? Late after just one week?" barked Jaya, a man in his forties.

Darren took a deep breath. "I’m sorry, sir. I had a minor accident, which delayed me," he replied, glancing at the clock in the security post.

The clock showed 6:30 AM. This meant he wasn’t technically late, as the shift change occurred at 7:00 AM. Arriving before that time was encouraged but not mandatory.

Jaya dismissed Darren’s explanation entirely. His face remained stern. "If you’re late again, don’t bother coming back here at all!" He snapped before walking away without a backward glance.

Darren could only sigh in response. He clenched his fists, suppressing the urge to retry. The man berating him was merely a low-level employee in the company Darren actually owned. If it weren’t for his undercover mission, he would have dealt with Jaya’s insolence differently.

His attention shifted to a luxury car pulling into the parking lot. Darren instinctively saluted and approached the vehicle, opening the door for the passenger. The person inside stepped out without acknowledging Darren’s gesture no thanks, no greeting, not even a smile.

"Hmm… What’s Baron doing here so early? There’s no directors’ meeting scheduled today. He should be at the branch office. What could he possibly be up to here?"

Darren watched Baron closely, his eyes narrowing with suspicion as the man walked away toward the headquarters of Anugerah Langit Corporation.